HPD says assistant chief gets 'additional training' after being linked to missing $25K in property

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A spokesman said Wednesday that the Houston Police Department's assistant chief, who was under investigation for taking discarded city property valued at $25,000, had received training.

The video in the media player is from a previous report.

Adrian Rodriguez, one of the recently promoted assistant chiefs following demotions from the suspended cases scandal, was being investigated for removing old metal gates from the back of the Kingwood substation on Rustic Woods Drive, where he was last assigned.

The gates were removed in March. HPD said Rodriguez returned them "months ago." Earlier this month, they were in the parking garage at headquarters in downtown.

On Wednesday, the department confirmed the investigation had been cleared and said, "Through this process, (Rodriguez) has learned that city employees cannot personally remove discarded city property. He has received additional training."

RELATED: HPD's new assistant chief is under investigation for missing city property valued at $25K, docs say

After ABC13 started asking questions, the City of Houston filed a police report valuing the gates at $25,000, and HPD denied a request for security video from the substation.

Eyewitness News obtained part of HPD's Internal Affairs report stating that Rodriguez asked a city employee if he could take them because he wanted to put them in his ditch at home.

However, the city has a very lengthy and specific process for disposing of old or surplus property, which was not followed in this case.

Rodriguez has yet to respond to ABC13's request for comment.

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